Improvement in cotton-gin ribs



1. F. BROWN.

Cotton-Gin Rib. I No. 11,317. v Patented July 18, 1854.

UNITED, STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ISRAEL F. BROWN, or

COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN COTTON-GIN RIBS.

Specification forming part ofLe ttcrs Patent No. 11,317, dated July 18, 1854.

. clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming part of this specification, in which Figure l is a perspective View of a rib constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a side View of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

The ribs commonly employed in cotton-gins are made of cast-iron, each in one piece, and are fastened at each end to what are called the rib bars. Notwithstanding these ribs are chilled at the part where the teeth of the saws work between them, they wear out in a comparatively short time, and have to be replaced by a new set.

The object of my invention is to construct the ribs in such way that the part of the ribs which wears out may be several times renewed without taking the bars from the machine.

My invention consists in the employment for each arm of a cast-iron hub, which has cast with it two or more arms at equal distances apart, each of which is of the form of the upper portion of a rib, and contains a chilled part corresponding with the chill in the arms usually employed. A number of these hubs corresponding with the required number of ribs are arranged at equal distances apart upon a shaft which rests in bearings occupying such a position in the gin that onearm of each hub may be made to occupy the position usually occupied by the upperpart of the rib. Short ribs corresponding in form with the lower part of the ribs usually employed are secured to a bar corresponding with the lower rib-bar usually employed, and the upper ends of these short ribs fit to the lower ends of the arms on the hubs in such manner that when the hubshaft is properly secured the short ribs and the arms in contact with them form a series of ribs like those commonly employed. WVhen one set of arms is worn out, the shaft simply requires to be turned in its bearings to bring a new set into contact with the short ribs, and

the wearing parts are thus renewed as completely as if the gin were furnished with an entire new set of ribs.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe more fully its construction and opera tion.

A represents the short rib,which resembles what the lower part of the rib usually employed would be if it were cut off below the wearing part, or "where the saw-teeth pass it.

B is the shaft which carries the hubs 0, one of which only is represented. This shaft is intended to be provided at its ends with journals to rest in boxes on the sides of the frame of the gin. The hub represented has three arms, a a a either of which being brought into, contact with the .short rib A, like a in the drawings, will complete the rib,

the three allowing the rib to be renewed twice after it is once worn out. The ends of the arms are all chilled on their faces in casting to the length of about one inch and a half. The hubs are intended to be all exactly like that represented, being, in fact, cast from the same pattern, and as they have square holes, and their shaft Bis square, the arms ofthe whole series will stand in straight parallel rows. The end of each arm "has a tenon, c, which is capable of entering a mortise in the back side of the short rib A, to make the whole rib rigid. The shaft should be secured from any tendency to turn by screwing down the caps of its journal-boxes, or by some other suitable means.

WVhen the gin has been in use till the arms a have worn out, the shaft B has to be set free and turned around to bring either the arms a or a into connection with the short ribs A. After the second set is worn out the third is brought into use. WVhen all the arms are worn out,a new set of hubs may be put on the shaft. It will be understood that the hubs last as long as three sets of the ribs commonly employed, and as the time occupied and labor consumed in changing the arms is trifling com pared to that required to renew the ribs altogether, a great saving of expense will be effeetcd.

NVhat I claim as my invention is-- The employment of a series. of castiron the short ribs for the purpose of renewing hubs, 0, each having two or more arms cast the wearing parts, substantially as herein dewith it, each of which arms is of proper form to combine with a short rib, A, and with scribed. it form a, complete rib, whereby when the ISRAEL F. BROWN. said hubs are secured upon a shaft, B, ar- Vitnesses;

ranged in a proper position, their arms may J OEL T. SCOTT,

be successively brought into combination with GEORGE G. FEES. 

